You really are stuck!

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : April : 7

You really are stuck!
By Melissa

I sympathize with you. You really are stuck between a rock and a hard place. In my experience, if your principal does nothing, then your problems, unfortunately, go nowhere. As far as telling you to handle your own kids
in front of them, shame on him!
I suffered humiliation of this sort in my last school where I worked. The principal sent the guidance counselor into my room to observe the students of my class and me, since I did have a lot of discipline problems in my class. When she was finished with her observation, she said in front of my students: "I know what's wrong with you. You have no control

over your class." Then she began to itemize problems in front of the kids. That was so embarrassing, and I also thought it was unprofessional of the guidance counselor. My students heard every word she said. I told her later that if she had something to criticize me about, she should do in in private, not in front of the students. I let her know that I was unhappy with her decision to air dirty laundry in front of everybody. I also told her that I needed the respect of the students and I would not get it that way! She told me that the kids, the parents, and "others" felt that I had no respect anyway. I was so angry and upset that I left the school at 9:00 in the morning. I also turned in my resignation on that February day. He (the principal) humilated me in April by telling me he was not renewing me. I told him "too bad," I have already resigned!

Maybe what you need to do is hope that the old bird resigns soon. Or try to go to another school as I did. I receive a lot more support at my new school this year, and there are no pointing fingers at me. I know that I always do the best that I possibly can EVERYWHERE I go. It's just that in the last school they didn't care to know that. I am much happier this year.